I looked up at Dean. He had a sad look on his face. I held up a hand. I knew what he was going to say and I wouldn’t hear it. I knew what I had seen and had pictures to prove it.
I stood, took my phone off my belt, opened the pictures and tossed it to him. He seemed confused when he looked at the color of the eyes and the tattoos that had been covered by makeup.
I could see the mixed emotions running across his face. He was happy that his best friend was alive but saddened just the same knowing it was Dad’s brother. I watched until he finally settled with anger. David wasn’t an assassin, he was dying with cancer. They had stolen what was left of his life.
“I want them dead,” I stated. Every head in the room turned to me shocked.
“As well as I,” Dean replied with a livid look on his face.
When he explained to everyone the situation I don’t think anyone was calm.
“That also means we have to find Dad.”
Braydon pulled out the pictures he had gathered from the guy I shot and handed them to me. I looked at each one carefully.
One picture was of me and Shayden playing in the yard in front of a white house. The picture showed how the yard was level but on a hill. There was no gate or fencing in front of it. There were three steps to the porch and the porch was only on the front side of the house.
The next picture showed me and Mom in front of the same house, only from a different view. From this angle I could see hedges on one side of the yard, blooming beautiful purple flowers.
The next showed Dad and Shay. This was from another angle. It showed the house was on a corner. What caught my attention though was the street sign. It was the corner of Boggs Avenue and Church Street. I knew that description. I knew that house. I just had to figure out how I knew it.
I began pacing in the room. Everyone had set down and watched with confusion on their faces. When I looked over at Shayden next to Mom, I knew exactly where this house was. Down the street from the school was another road called Henry Street, it went across a small mountain and led to Boggs Avenue. My Dad was less than a quarter mile away from me. I knew that’s what this meant.
When I told Dean what I thought, Mom spoke up saying Dad had sold the house when we were little. I knew better. I had seen a title in the papers. And I could find out if it was true as long as no one had stolen my papers.
I turned without saying a word and opened the door. I walked out and was going to my room when Sage stepped up beside me. I looked at him and he gave me a sad smile. These guys stood by me no matter what. When I made the declaration of death to some of their families they never complained or argued. They accepted what I said.
I could only hope I was right in this.
We were almost to the apartment when I heard a noise in Braxton’s room. Braxton was still in the office so that meant that whoever it was, wasn’t supposed to be there.
Sage looked at the door the same time as I did. He had heard it. I put my finger to my lips and he nodded. We walked closer to the door and paused.
I was trying to figure out how to go about getting in unseen when I glanced up and watched Sage waving someone away. When I turned around, it was Braydon. He had undone the top part of his suit leaving himself unprotected and was running our way. I began motioning him back and mouthing no but he wouldn’t stop. If anything he ran faster.
I muttered a few swear words under my breath before turning back to Sage.
“I love you and I love them. Remember that.”
With nothing more than that I opened the door. I knew I shouldn’t have. I knew I should have waited to find a better way. I knew the sound of the hammer being cocked on the gun I was now staring down. A forty-four magnum.
My eyes trailed down the barrel to the hand holding it. It never wavered. It was steady. The arm attached to it was muscular as well as the broad shoulders. The head on top of those shoulders had me gasping for air, right as I heard the loud bang.